PATNA: It’s a double whammy for expelled Janata Dal (United) MLA Anant Kumar Singh. One the one hand, JD(U) state president submitted a letter to the Bihar assembly Speaker Prem Kumar, requesting the latter to disqualify his membership, the state government, on the other hand, issued orders on Monday, asking his wife and former MLA Neelam Devi to vacate her official bungalow in Patna.
Devi, who had earlier served as MLA from Mokama, has been removed from state-level 20-Point Programme Implementation Committee. She was allotted a government bungalow for being a member of the 20-Point Programme Implementation Committee. A letter issued by the government on Monday said that she has been asked to vacate the house by November 25.
On October 24, Anant Singh was expelled from JD(U)’s primary membership for six years for his alleged anti-party activities. The development came a day after the MLC polls on eight Graduates’ and Teachers’ constituencies. Singh campaigned in favour of Jan Suraaj Party candidate Anuj Singh, defying party’s guidelines.
JD(U) has fielded sitting MLC Neeraj Kumar from Patna Graduates constituency. Singh’s differences with Neeraj came in the open when the former announced that he would ensure the defeat of Neeraj in the election. The polling was held on October 23, which witnessed minor clashes between supporters of Singh and Kumar in Mokama region.
On Monday, JD(U) state president Umesh Singh Kushwaha visited the assembly premises and handed over a letter addressed to Speaker Prem Kumar to Secretary, Bihar Legislative Assembly, requesting the latter to disqualify his membership for his anti-party activities. The Speaker was not present in his office.
Kushwaha handed over the recommendation letter along with 10-page proof and a video showing Singh’s anti-party activities. The Speaker is yet to take a decision on JD(U)’s recommendation for disqualification of Singh’s membership. "All eyes are now set on the Speaker’s discretion," a senior JD(U) functionary said.
Meanwhile, sources in JD(U) said that union minister and JD(U) MP from Munger Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh may also face disciplinary action for his failure to persuade Singh during MLC polls. Lalan Singh was assigned the task by top leadership of the party to align with Singh.
Lalan Singh also met JD(U) president Nitish Kumar in Patna after Anant Singh’s expulsion from the party. What transpired between the two leaders could not be immediately known.
